Early Childhood Access: Alabama will add 64 First Class Pre-K classrooms for 2026-27, but researchers warn waiting lists may still leave thousands without spots. Archaeology & Reckoning: UNH students and community college partners excavated animal remains near New Hampshire Gov. John Sullivan’s historic home, pointing to what may be the state’s first recovered slave quarters. Rural Voices in Politics: A Rural Listening Project panel highlighted rural Americans’ concerns about partisan divides and the role of money in shaping decisions. AI in Schools: Tempe high school teachers are building custom AI chatbots and drafting classroom rules to use AI without replacing student thinking. Research Integrity Under Scrutiny: Indonesia faces debate after an alleged fake research scandal triggers questions about academic integrity. Health & Lab Breakthroughs: USF researchers say Antarctic sea-squirt toxins could be repurposed for melanoma treatment, while local teams advance TB diagnostics by spotting drug-resistant strains routine tests miss. Higher Ed Expansion: Fort Lewis College secured a Mellon grant to create a “more-than-human world” humanistic study lab, and UMD plus Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College won $3.4M to build biomedical research capacity. Digital Learning Infrastructure: Western Pacific University launched an AI-enabled digital knowledge hub with learning tablets for students. Policy & Funding Push: Andhra Pradesh set up AP-FIRST, a new company to commercialize research and back innovation across tech and biotech.